


Band Dads

by starlightwalking



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:25:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6752032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightwalking/pseuds/starlightwalking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bard and Thranduil are both parents of kids in the Laketown High Wind Ensemble. They meet as chaperons for a band field trip, and find each other nice and interesting (and hot). Of course, neither of them are the type to admit that to each other, but their kids have other plans in mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing Barduil. I hope it turns out alright!  
> Both the summary and the title aren't too great, so don't be alarmed if they change at some point in the future in the eventuality that I come up with something better.  
> Inspired by [this post](http://riphaerry.tumblr.com/post/118288098594/how-about-them-single-parentaus). For [nienors](http://nienors.tumblr.com/) on tumblr.  
> Thanks for reading and commenting!

"Dad, I'm home," Sigrid called out as she walked through the door. The roar of the departing bus was cut out as the door slammed shut behind her. Neither of her siblings, who still went to middle school, were home yet.

Bard, who sat in a chair reading a book, looked up as his oldest child dropped her bags on the floor. "Come on, Sigrid, put your things in your room, not the floor," he scolded her gently.

Sigrid rolled her eyes, but she picked her backpack up and tromped away. "Hello to you, too," she grumbled.

Bard sighed. He put his book down and went in the kitchen, which adjoined the family room. He was hungry and wanted a snack.

When Sigrid came back from her room, he was enjoying a banana. She dropped a piece of paper in front him, then went straight to the fridge.

Bard picked up the piece of paper and frowned as he read it. "What's this supposed to be?" he asked her. It looked like a permission slip of some kind.

"There's a band festival up in Seattle that we're going to," Sigrid said, sitting down across from him with a pudding cup.

"That's not a healthy snack," he told her. "You need to eat better."

Sigrid shrugged and opened it anyway. Bard raised an eyebrow. "Sigrid, what did I just say?"

"One pudding cup won't kill me," she said.

"Fine, but this is the only one you're allowed this week," Bard informed her.

Sigrid scowled, but she started to eat it anyway. Bard finished his banana and tossed the peel in the trash.

"So when is this field trip of yours?" he asked, examining the permission slip.

"I don't know, doesn't it say on the paper?" Sigrid asked.

"Looks like March 11th and 12th," Bard said.

"Friday and Saturday," his daughter supplied.

"For all members of the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Bands, etc, etc..." Bard continued. Sigrid was only a freshman, but she was such an excellent flutist that she'd been placed in the top band at her high school. Bard was incredibly proud of her.

"Should be pretty fun," Sigrid said. She slurped, sucking pudding into her mouth off a spoon. "Overnight and everything. I've never been on a field trip like that before!"

"It says here your director needs chaperones," Bard noted, looking closer at the permission slip.

"Oh yeah," Sigrid said unenthusiastically. "I'd hoped you wouldn't have noticed that."

"I think I could probably take work off that day," he said, pulling out his phone to check his calender. "It's overnight, but I don't work Saturdays."

"You really don't have to come," Sigrid urged him.

Bard chuckled. "Don't worry, Sigrid. I won't embarrass you. You can hang out with your friends. I'll just stay with the other chaperones. You'll barely know I'm there."

"But Dad—" she protested. Then she sighed, giving up. "Alright, _fine_. It's not a big deal. Be my chaperone if you want. Just sign the permission slip, okay? I really want to go, it's gonna be so much fun. After the festival, we're going to a music museum, and the Space Needle!"

"Of course, dear," Bard said, smiling. "There's no point in me chaperoning if you're not coming too."

* * *

When Thranduil came home after work, his children were already home. Sometimes they were, sometimes they weren't. They were both seniors and had busy lives.

"Hey, Dad," Legolas said as he walked in the door. His son sat doing homework on the couch. Music played softly in the background. Thranduil frowned, trying decipher what it was from. It was instrumental, so probably some music his son was playing in band.

"Hey, Legolas," Thranduil replied, hanging up his keys. He shrugged off his suitcoat. "Where's Tauriel?"

"In her room, on the phone with Kíli," Legolas responded, not looking up from his homework.

Thranduil nodded. He put his ear to the door on the way to his room. True to Legolas's word, the sound of her voice floated over to his ears, punctuated with the muffled responses from that insufferable boyfriend of hers. He did not like Kíli, and he _especially_ did not like Kíli's uncle, Thorin Durin. But Tauriel had the right to date whomever she wished, he admitted, even if it made dinner with Kíli's family awkward. He was glad he didn't have to worry about that with Legolas, who was aromantic and uninterested in dating.

When Thranduil had changed into some more casual clothes, he returned to the family room, ready to relax. Legolas was now playing showtunes of some kind; probably from some show he and Tauriel had done at school.

"What is this?" Thranduil asked, gesturing to the stereo.

"Guys and Dolls," his son replied.

"Ah." Thranduil remembered that one. His kids' high school drama program had done it two years prior. They had been ensemble members, both of them being proficient dancers. "That was a good show."

"Yeah, mostly," Legolas agreed. "The moral was lacking, but it was fun. It was better than some other shows we've done."

"What are you working on?" Thranduil asked.

"My Lit homework," Legolas replied. "Oh. By the way, Dad, I have something for you." He opened his binder and leafed through some papers.

"For me?" Thranduil said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't get excited, it's just a permission slip." Legolas handed him a piece of paper.

"Band field trip?" he said, looking at it.

"The last festival of my high school career," his son confirmed.

Thranduil nodded as he signed the permission slip. "Will you miss this?" he asked. "Band? And the rest of high school?"

"Parts of it," Legolas admitted. "I'll miss my friends. I'll still have Tauriel, though. I don't think I'll keep up with band through college. But I am looking forward to graduating and moving on in life."

"I missed my extracurriculars," Thranduil said. "Speech and debate was fun. And track, though I only did it for one year. But I had other things to keep me busy."

"Remember when you used to come on these field trips with me?" Legolas asked, cracking a smile. "When I was in middle school?"

"Yeah," Thranduil agreed. "They weren't overnight, though." He smiled. "Do you need chaperones this time? I could probably take time off work, especially since it's your last one."

"Yeah, we do," Legolas said. He handed the paper back to Thranduil.

He examined it. March 11th and 12th. He could do that. He pulled out his work calendar and made a note that he would be gone.

"I guess it's my last band trip, too," he said, signing that he would come.

"Thanks, Dad," Legolas said. "It'll be fun. Just...don't hang around me too much, okay?" He smirked, showing his father he was joking.

Thranduil only laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning of the field trip, Bard drove Sigrid to school. She was grateful not to have to ride the bus, though still groggy in the early morning. The band was leaving to Seattle a full hour before school started, and it was still dark out.

When they arrived at Laketown High, Sigrid trudged to the band room, moving slowly in her tiredness. Bard carried both her overnight bag and his own. As his daughter rubbed her eyes sleepily, Bard was reminded with a pang of his beautiful wife. Before her death several years prior, she had done the exact same thing when she had to wake up early in the morning.

Mr. Bofur, the band director, was ridiculously cheery this early in the morning. Bard considered himself a morning person, but Bofur was on a whole other level. He greeted Bard enthusiastically, shaking his hand and thanking him for chaperoning.

"We're glad you could come, Mr. Bowman," Bofur said.

"Am I the only chaperon?" Bard asked him.

Bofur shook his head. "No, Mr. Greenleaf is also coming along this trip. He hasn't arrived yet, though. I'll point him out to you when he gets here."

Bofur was soon accosted by an anxious-looking sophomore that Bard didn't recognize. He turned to his daughter.

"Do you know this Mr. Greenleaf?" he asked.

Sigrid shook her head. "No. I mean, maybe, he's probably come to a concert or something. He's probably Legolas's dad, that's my guess."

"Who's Legolas?" Bard asked.

"Uh, he plays oboe," Sigrid told him. She shrugged. "I don't know him very well; he's a senior. He's blond, though, and really tall. You should be able to recognize him."

A few minutes later, the Greenleafs arrived. Sigrid pointed them out to Bard. Legolas was a tall blond kid carrying a backpack and his instrument case. Beside him walked his father, even taller than he was, with a serious air and dazzling blue eyes. Bard inhaled as he watched Mr. Greenleaf make his way toward the band director. Damn, he was hot. It really wasn't fair.

Bofur waved to Bard, beckoning him over. He nodded and walked over to where the band director and Mr. Greenleaf stood.

"Mr. Bowman, this is Mr. Greenleaf," Bofur introduced him.

Bard shook Mr. Greenleaf's hand. The tall man had a firm grip. Bard grinned, nodding to Greenleaf. He suddenly felt much more awake than he had previously.

"Call me Thranduil," he said in a low, smooth voice.

"Well, then you can call me Bard," he agreed.

"You two will be on opposite ends of the bus," Bofur said. "My kids are pretty good, but they're very comfortable with each other. They can get a little wild. Just make sure things don't get out of control. Don't worry, I'll help. And when we get to the hotel, you'll be sharing a room." He smirked. "There'll be two different beds, don't you worry." He laughed at his little joke.

Bard laughed along. It wasn't that funny, but Bofur's cheery attitude had started to rub off on him.

"Oh I don't know, I wouldn't mind that so much," Thranduil joked. He winked. Bard's stomach lurched. God, he was hot. He really shouldn't joke about things like that. But he only laughed a little more, glancing back to where Sigrid chatted animatedly with her friends.

"Well, let's keep it kid-friendly," Bard said, smiling.

"I can see you'll get along great," Bofur said. "Well, I think most of the kids are here. Let's get moving."

* * *

The bus ride up to Seattle was long and mostly uneventful. Bard spent most of it reading, though he had to tell the kids on his end of the bus not to shout a couple of times.

After a quick stop at the hotel to drop their bags off, Bofur led everyone back on the bus, ready to go to the festival. Bard was kept busy watching all of the kids. Sigrid stayed away from him, hanging out with her friends. He didn't begrudge her. As a high school freshman, he too would have been mortified to have his dad come along on a field trip.

Bard thought the Laketown High Wind Ensemble sounded very good, though the judges apparently disagreed. The jazz band's songs were much more interesting, he admitted to himself, though he didn't plan on telling Sigrid that.

The festival ended at ten pm. Bard was surprised—he hadn't expected it to run that long. He yawned as Bofur packed everyone back on the bus again. He was ready to go to sleep, though he wasn't sure how easy that would be with Thranduil sleeping in the bed next to him.

When they got back to the hotel, Bard showered quickly. He changed in the bathroom and immediately flopped into his bed. He didn't go to sleep, though. His mind was racing too fast.

Thranduil sat down in the bed next to him. "Tired?" he asked.

Bard only grunted, his eyes closed.

"I don't blame you, it's been a long day." Thranduil chuckled.

Bard sat up, fixing his hair as he did. " _You_ don't seem too tired," he pointed out.

Thranduil shrugged. "I don't sleep much normally. Work hours, you understand. You get used to it."

"Of course," Bard agreed. "Where do you work?"

"My father's company," Thranduil said. "Greenleaf Enterprises. You may have heard of us."

"You're _that_ Greenleaf?" Bard asked, surprised. Greenleaf Enterprises was a locally-based company, founded by Oropher Greenleaf, who must be Thranduil's father.

"Yes," he said. "Where do you work?"

Bard shrugged. "I'm a salesman at the car dealership downtown. Well, not Seattle downtown, of course."

Thranduil snorted in laughter. "Of course. So, who's your kid in the band?"

"Sigrid Bowman," Bard said, smiling fondly as he thought of her. "She plays flute. She's only a freshman."

"Ah. That would explain why I've not heard of her," Thranduil said. "Legolas, my son, he's a senior. Do you have any other children?"

Bard nodded. "Bain and Tilda. They're both still in middle school."

"Your spouse must be lucky to have such a wonderful family," Thranduil said.

Bard glanced down. "She was." He didn't have to say anything more; Thranduil knew what that meant. The other man looked at him in surprise and sympathy.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I truly am. My wife...she died, too. It was a very long time ago, when Legolas was just a baby, but I still miss her every day. I haven't dated since, at least not steadily."

"Thank you," Bard rumbled. "I... Is Legolas your only child?"

"When Legolas was about three, I adopted a little girl named Tauriel," Thranduil told him. "Together, they helped me heal after my wife's death. They're both in the same grade. Have you seen any of the Laketown musicals? Both my kids dance in them. Tauriel's actually the lead in the spring show, next May."

"I haven't yet," Bard admitted. "But I'm sure they're wonderful. I should go see it."

"It's going to be good, I'm sure," Thranduil assured him.

Bard yawned loudly, partially out of genuine exhaustion and partially out of the need to stop talking to this irritatingly attractive and kind near-stranger. It wasn't fair that Thranduil could be both hot, nice, _and_ a good, supporting father, who also happened to be single.

"I should probably catch some sleep," he said, a tad reluctantly. "We're having another early day tomorrow, at that museum."

"And the Space Needle," Thranduil added. "Alright. Goodnight, Bard. It was nice getting to know you."

"Goodnight, Thranduil," Bard murmured. He laid down, his head on his pillow, and tried to sleep and think about anything but the man in the bed next to him.

He only succeeded in one of those things.


	3. Chapter 3

After the field trip, Thranduil came home thinking about the man who had been his roommate overnight. Bard Bowman was a fascinating man—kind, funny, and rather attractive. The day after the festival, Bofur had turned the kids loose in the music museum. Thranduil and Bard had spent the whole day running around the museum (and later, the Space Needle) trying to make sure none of the kids did anything reckless, dangerous, or illegal.

On one memorable occasion, Thranduil ran into Bard dragging two boys out of a restricted access area at the museum. The boys glared at him sullenly. When Thranduil raised an eyebrow at the situation, Bard only laughed.

"I caught them kissing in a place they really shouldn't have been," he explained, nodding to a half-open door that proclaimed "Museum Staff Members Only".

The boys turned red. Thranduil smirked.

"Well, congratulations on getting a job here," he joked. One of the boys snorted, but the other only glared. "Now, boys," Thranduil continued, "I understand the desire to keep things private, but you can find a better place to do it. I'm sure Mr. Bowman agrees."

"Mr. Greenleaf is right," Bard said sternly. He let go of the boys, who jumped away from him as fast as they possibly could. "Run along now," he instructed. "Be more careful next time."

The boys ran off. Bard shook his head.

"I was just like them when I was their age," he admitted. "Hiding in hallways, kissing boys and girls at the wrong times and in the wrong places." He noticed Thranduil's curious look and explained, "I'm bisexual."

Thranduil's heart lurched. "So am I," he said. "Though I tried to be a responsible kid. My father would have thrown a fit if I'd skipped class to make out with a pretty girl. Or boy, sometimes."

They stared at each other for a moment, then looked away. Bard looked slightly embarrassed, but when Thranduil looked back up at him he was totally composed, the picture of handsome confidence.

"Well, I'd best make sure Legolas is doing alright," he said. "Nice seeing you again."

"You, too," Bard agreed. They went their separate ways. Thranduil saw him again a few times more that day, but Bofur kept them busy with chaperoning duties.

When he and Legolas came home that night, Tauriel's boyfriend was over at the house.

"I thought I said no boyfriend over," Thranduil said, glaring at Kíli.

"Come on, Dad," Tauriel said placatingly. "You know us. It's not like we had sex or anything. You know I'm ace."

"Cross my heart and hope to die!" Kíli agreed. "We were good kids, Dad!"

"Don't call me that." Thranduil ignored Kíli's snigger. He believed them. Tauriel was right, and Kíli, for all his snark, was a decent kid.

"How was Seattle?" Tauriel asked Legolas.

"Fun," Legolas said. "I liked that museum."

"Yes, it was good," Thranduil said, "though I was too busy to enjoy it."

"Dad really had fun," Legolas said. He smirked. "He liked the other chaperon a lot. What was his name—Bower?"

"Bowman," Thranduil corrected. "And I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on, Dad." Legolas winked at him. "I may be aroace, but I'm not blind. You thought he was hot."

Thranduil left the room, shaking his head. He didn't bother to give Legolas a response. He tried to keep a straight face while he was still in the sight of his children (well, and Kíli, too). Well, not _straight_ , he supposed, considering that Legolas was right, and that he was bi.

Though he could deny it to his son, he admitted to himself that he was attracted to Bard. Not like that would go anywhere. Bard may be bi as well, but he probably wouldn't see him again. Plus, even if he did, that didn't mean Bard was interested in him, or that either of them would want their relationship to change from anything other than amiable acquaintances.

* * *

Thranduil didn't go to all of Legolas's band concerts—not after eight years of them. Legolas didn't mind, especially not as he got older. But this April was one of the last concerts he would ever have, so Thranduil thought he would try to come.

The concert was very nice. Though the Wind Ensemble performed the same songs they had at the festival, they had gotten even better with practice.

After all of Laketown High's bands had played, Bofur encouraged everyone to attend tomorrow night's choir concert as well, and to support the band in any way they could. Then he closed the performance, allowing the audience to disperse.

Thranduil hung around, helping the band kids to stack and put away chairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young girl struggling with a stack of four chairs, one of which threatened to topple over. He raced over, grabbing the stack to balance it.

"Thanks," the girl said breathlessly. Together, they dragged the stack into the band room. When the chairs were all put away, the girl looked at him curiously.

"Hey, didn't you chaperon for the Seattle festival?" she asked.

Thranduil nodded. "Yes. Legolas is my son."

The girl smiled. "Oh hey, I know you. My dad was a chaperon too! My name's Sigrid."

"Oh! You're Bard's daughter!" Thranduil said. "Yes, that was a fun trip. Your father's a good man."

Behind him, there was a low chuckle. The hair on Thranduil's neck stood up as he realized Bard had walked up to him and overheard that last comment. He went to his daughter and hugged her, before turning back to Thranduil.

"I'm glad you think so," Bard said, smiling warmly in a way that made Thranduil's mouth go dry.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Good," Bard said. "Sigrid and her siblings have been doing well in school, I'm paying the bills, I saw my mother last weekend... Life is great."

"I'm glad to hear that," Thranduil said.

"How are you?" Bard asked.

"Oh, fine," he replied. "My daughter's play opens very soon, so she's been gone a lot. And Legolas had this concert."

"Oh yes, the school play," Bard said. "When is it? I want to come."

"Next week," Sigrid answered. "They talk about it all the time on the announcements. I hope it's good."

"Yes you do, because I'm taking the whole family," Bard told her.

"I'll tell Tauriel you're all coming, she'll be happy to know I won't be the only one in the audience," Thranduil joked. He looked at Sigrid. The freshman girl was looking between him and her father with a curious expression. "Your band sounded wonderful tonight," he told her. "Better than at that festival, even."

"Oh, thanks," she said.

Legolas walked up to them. "Hey Dad," he said. "I'm ready to go." He nodded to Sigrid and Bard.

Thranduil sighed. "I'd best get going," he told Bard. "It was nice seeing you again."

"Goodbye!" Bard said. Sigrid waved as Legolas and Thranduil walked away.

Driving home, Thranduil smiled as he thought of their conversation. It had been very nice to see Bard again.

"You _like_ him," Legolas teased.

"Oh, shut up," Thranduil said absently.

"You do," Legolas insisted.

A blush crept up Thranduil's cheeks. "So what if I like him?"

"Oh, nothing," his son said. He paused. "You know, I think it'd be nice if you started seeing someone. So long as you don't make it too mushy and romance-y."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't," Thranduil assured him. "Anyway, that kind of talk is ridiculous. It's not as if Bard likes me."

"I don't know, the way he was looking at you." Legolas elbowed his dad good-naturedly. "Anyway, that's not the most important thing on my mind. What's for dinner?"

"It's 9:30, you haven't eaten dinner yet?!" Thranduil exclaimed.

"I had a concert," Legolas protested.

"Alright, fine," he conceded. "You can heat some meatloaf up in the microwave when we get home."

They continued to talk until they arrived home, but Thranduil dwelled on what his son had said: _I don't know, the way he was looking at you._ Maybe he was right. But then again, maybe he was wrong.

He put the matter to the back of his mind as he and Legolas walked through the door of their home and greeted the already half-asleep Tauriel, who had just arrived home from rehearsal, but he didn't forget it entirely.


	4. Chapter 4

Greenleaf Enterprises had a fancy name for a local business. Founded by Oropher Greenleaf in the mid eighties, it had since spread throughout the local area and even into the next state. They were an electronics repair company, though they also sold things as well.

Bard had bought his computer there, and he decided it was time to take it in. The volume button wasn't working properly; he could only have it on mute or at 100. He sort of hoped he might run into Thranduil, too, though he realized that Oropher Greenleaf's son would probably have a higher job than cashier or salesman and work somewhere other than the closest Greenleaf shop, and he admitted to himself it was unlikely.

Bard made his way downtown on a Saturday afternoon, his laptop in tow. Sigrid was home babysitting her siblings.

Bard walked into the Greenleaf store. A helpful saleswoman took him to the back, where a tech worker quickly fixed his volume issue.

"Just a virus," they told him. "It's all fixed. You didn't really need to come in for this." They snorted. "Too bad. At least your money goes to my paycheck, I guess."

Bard thanked them, paid, and sighed as he moved to leave the store. _Too bad,_ he thought, grimacing. _I just wasted a good thirty bucks for the off-chance I'd run into the guy I like. What I am, sixteen again?_ He should have just run a virus scan, but no, he'd been too hopeful to run into Thranduil again. He was a little bit smitten, he admitted to himself. Oh well.

Then he heard a familiar voice. "...send the report in to my father." The words floated across the air. Bard turned around, lifting his eyebrows. He knew that voice!

Out of an office door walked Thranduil and another man who was unfamiliar to Bard. The other man nodded as Thranduil continued talking.

"You're doing very well here, Feren," Thranduil said. "I'll be sure to—" He broke off as he made eye contact with Bard.

"Sir?" Feren asked.

Thranduil smiled to Bard and turned back to Feren. "That's all. I'll be going now. Thank you, Feren."

Thranduil walked over to Bard. "I didn't expect to see you here!" he remarked.

"I'd hoped I might run into you," Bard admitted.

"Oh, really?" Thranduil asked, a playful smile appearing on his lips.

Bard laughed. "Well, yeah. It's nice talking to you. And it's not like I have your number to call you anytime I want..." He raised an eyebrow, hoping Thranduil would take the hint.

"Well, I'm not technically supposed to flirt on the job, but I'll make an exception for a handsome man like you," he said smoothly. He winked, pulling his phone out of his pocket, and Bard felt a little bit faint.

They exchanged numbers, and Bard quickly texted him to make sure it had worked. When Thranduil's phone buzzed, he saved his number as a contact and put his phone away. "Next time I guess I won't have to snoop around your shop to get in touch," Bard joked.

Thranduil laughed. It was a deep, cheerful sound. "I hope not," he said.

There was a pause. "So, uh," Bard began, "what are you doing around here?"

"I could ask the same of you," Thranduil pointed out. He opened the door and said, "Let's talk outside. No sense in clogging up the doorway."

"I just needed to get my volume fixed," Bard explained. "I hoped I might run into you, too, and it looks like I did."

Thranduil smiled. "I'm just here on business. My father sent me around to all our outlets for inspection. This was the last one I'm doing today."

"You free the rest of the day?" Bard asked impulsively.

Thranduil glanced at him in faint surprise. "Well, yes," he said. "Are you—?"

"Do you wanna go out around town?" Bard offered. "And yeah, I am asking you out." He smiled, hoping he looked more confident than he felt. "If you'd like."

Thranduil smiled. "Sure, I'd love to." His phone buzzed, and he checked it quickly. His face fell as he looked back up Bard.

"Actually, Tauriel just texted me," he said, sounding sincerely apologetic. "She really wanted me to come her show tonight. It's closing night, after all."

"Oh, damn," Bard exclaimed. "I forgot. I meant to go, but—" He shook his head. "Tonight's closing night, you say? I should probably take the kids, then."

"I guess I'll see you there, then," Thranduil said, smiling.

"Yeah, and hey—" Bard took a quick breath before offering, "Maybe instead of going around town today we could have dinner sometime?"

Thranduil, again, looked faintly surprised, though Bard wasn't sure why. He really liked him, and thought he'd been trying to make that known to him. And he'd thought Thranduil liked him back, after their talk at the band concert two weeks back.

"Sure," he agreed, a smile appearing on his face. He opened his schedule, saying, "Uhh...how would Thursday work?"

"That's good," Bard said. "I can have Sigrid babysit... Does 6:30 sound alright?"

Thranduil nodded. "I'll see you then."

* * *

"I can't believe Daddy has a date!" Tilda exclaimed for the fifth time that evening.

Bard chuckled as he put on his jacket. "Yes, Tilda, it's quite a miracle." It had been quite a long time—probably not even in Tilda's seven-year-old memory. He'd been so busy with the kids for so long he hadn't bothered trying to date in years.

Bain and Sigrid sat watching TV on the couch while he finished getting ready. Tilda, his youngest, looked up at him in excitement.

"Is he nice? Is he handsome?" Tilda asked him.

"Very nice, and very handsome," he assured her. He took a deep breath, staring at himself in the mirror. He was ready.

He and his family had run into Thranduil again that night at the school theater. Bard had been very impressed with Tauriel, who was one of the leads, and with Legolas, who was an ensemble dancer. The whole show had been much better than he'd expected. Tilda had shyly greeted Thranduil, meeting him for the first time, but Bard wasn't sure she knew he was the same man he was going out with tonight.

"Well, wish me luck, Tilda," he told her. She hugged him, whispering "good luck" five times in a row.

"Goodbye, kids!" he called as he left. Then he got into his car and braced himself for the date to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This is the last chapter :)

Thranduil beheld his children with fondness and not a little pride. Legolas and Tauriel had both graduated high school two days earlier. Tonight was their graduation open house. He had invited not only his kids' friends, but also everyone he knew as well.

Tauriel and Legolas were both excited for the event. Thranduil was excited as well, not least because it would be the first semi-public event he and Bard attended together since the beginning of their official relationship.

Their first date had gone very well. Talking to Bard was easy and comfortable for him, like speaking to a friend he had known for years. Thranduil enjoyed his companionship and his humor and almost everything about him. A few dates later, Thranduil had taken the plunge and asked if Bard wanted the relationship to be of a more committed kind.

"I want to if you want to," had been Bard's reply.

Now, only a couple weeks later, was the end of the school year. Bard had showed up to Thranduil's backyard with all his kids an hour before the celebration began, prepared to help set up, but Thranduil had already hired a couple of kids around the neighborhood to do it for him.

"I didn't expect this," Bard said, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Thranduil was satisfied with the job the teenagers had done, but Bard looked around critically at the off-center centerpieces and began to adjust their position on the tables.

"Well, I'd rather not do it myself, and those kids could use the extra money," Thranduil replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, and you've got the money to pay for it," Bard said in a neutral tone. Thranduil winced, realizing that if Bard were the one in his position, he would have to do the work all on his own. He was more financially secure than his boyfriend.

"Well, the kids did a nice job, I have to say," Thranduil said awkwardly.

"Yeah, the place looks nice," Bard agreed. "Are you ready to let your grads go?" He smiled at Tauriel and Legolas.

Thranduil sighed mournfully. "I'll miss them," he admitted. He was sure he'd be asked this question over and over again tonight, so he'd best come up with a good answer.

"We're not leaving until August," Tauriel pointed out. Legolas was busy keeping Tilda and Bain entertained. Sigrid was seated at one of the tables, her eyes glued to her phone screen. She was already eating the food Thranduil had laid out on the table.

"But I'll miss you then," Thranduil told his daughter.

Bard chuckled. "You've got a wonderful father," he told Tauriel.

"Yeah, I guess he's alright," Tauriel said indifferently. Then she grinned at Thranduil to show she was joking. He winked at her.

Thranduil slid over to Bard and took the other man's hand. "I'm glad Legolas gets along with your kids."

"Yeah, they love him," Bard agreed.

"He doesn't want kids of his own, but he's a great older brother," Thranduil said. He laughed. "Even now. Tauriel hates it when he fusses over her."

"But isn't Tauriel the same age as him?" Bard asked. "They're both graduating, after all."

Thranduil nodded. "But he always looked after her when they were young. He was bossy, but he really cares."

"Do you think he likes me?" Bard asked quietly as they watched the kids play. Tauriel walked over to Sigrid and engaged her in conversation.

"Yes, and it's a good thing, too," Thranduil said with a laugh. "He thinks you're responsible and can look after me when he's gone."

Bard laughed and kissed his boyfriend's cheek. "Well, I'm sure we'll look after each other."

Soon, the guests began to arrive. Thranduil, Legolas, and Tauriel greeted everyone with cheer. It was a party, after all.

Since this was the first public gathering since Bard and Thranduil had become a couple, there was some surprise when the news was broken. Thranduil lost count of the times he said "bisexual, actually," when greeted with the obnoxious comment "I didn't know you were gay!" At least no one was outright bigoted or malicious—just a little bit confused. Most people congratulated them as well as the grads.

The night was long and not a little bit exhausting. Thranduil was grateful to have Bard there, always politely helping and encouraging him and slipping him food from time to time. He was so fortunate to be with this amazing and supportive man.

After it was all over and everyone but their families had left (though Tauriel had slipped away with Kíli sometime in the night), Thranduil pulled Bard aside and kissed him hard.

"Thank you for all your help," he murmured.

Bard kissed him back. "Anything for you, baby."

Thranduil grinned, holding him in an embrace. Bard was truly wonderful. He told him so. Bard only laughed.

"You are too," he replied. "I'm so glad our kids were in band together, even for just one year."

"I'm so glad I went on that field trip and met you," Thranduil told him, squeezing his hand. "It was more than worth it."

It had been a long day. At the end of the school year and the beginning of a relationship, much was changing in Thranduil's life. He was glad he would not be going through it alone. And if there was any man he wanted by his side, it was Bard.

He smiled and took Bard's hand. "Let's clean this up," he said, gesturing to the mess the guests had left. "The old-fashioned way."

"You mean, without paying someone else to do it?" Bard joked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"I mean, with my own hands," Thranduil confirmed. He pretended to flex a muscle. "Show off my guns." He was not a particularly physically active person, and his meager might was shown mostly in jest.

Bard rolled his eyes at the joke. "Alright, Mr. Muscles," he said, actually flexing own, more substantial muscles. Thranduil gazed at it appreciatively, and Bard only winked.

"Let's get moving," he said. "You can have some of _this_ later."

Thranduil laughed, then went to give him a hand.


End file.
